Yonex Creating a Smashing Impact in State

Kochi: Yonex is a Japanese manufacturer of sporting goods for badminton, golf and tennis, producing rackets, shoes, shuttlecocks, tennis balls, and other equipment for sports. Strongly holding the company philosophy ‘Contribute to the world through innovative technology and the highest quality products’, Yonex has come a long way in promoting sports in Kerala.

Sarath P A, Area Sales Manager of Sunrise Sports Pvt.Ltd. (the sole agent for Yonex products in the country), strongly believes that badminton has grown to the level of beating cricket or any other sports in Kerala, and the part played by the brand Yonex is significant.

According to him, badminton has become a habit for the people in Kerala irrespective of their age. “About 50-60 per cent of the total population in Kerala is involved in this exercise. Badminton is the first preference for parents who think about engaging their children in sports,” he said.

Yonex is the equipment partners for Badminton World Federation and Premier Badminton League. Sponsoring Kerala Badminton Association, which is affiliated to Badminton Association of India, Yonex is in the forefront of promoting badminton in Kerala. The company has exclusive showrooms at Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode as well as multi-brand dealers all over the state.

Being an innovator in the latest racket technologies, Yonex is committed to pushing the limits of what is possible in a court. Their racquets are manufactured with effective hitting area which enable players to make match winning shots.

“Compared to badminton, tennis goods are less moving in our shop,” said Vijay Kumar, Managing Partner at Yonex Kochi. In his opinion, heavy racquets used in tennis lead to wrist pain and shoulder pain, the reason why the game is less popular in Kerala.

Yonex, with 70 per cent market share in Kerala, has proved that a single brand can sustain in the sports goods retail industry. It was a gradual growth in Kerala with 25-30 per cent increase every year. Many competitive brands came in between, but Yonex remains unshaken with its quality and customer confidence. Products are made after a series of research efforts and discussions with leading players. The players share problems which they face during competitions, on the basis of which products are redesigned. This is how the company constantly explores new materials, new designs and new ways of improving the game.

Like in olden days, parents are not restricting children playing outdoor. Instead, they encourage children to stick with sports and are ready to invest money and time for it. “For beginners in badminton Rs. 10,000 is the first investment that has to be made for playing a medium level game. As they develop, the skill investment increases. Parents are not worried about the expenses these days,” said Sarath.

Leading Indian badminton players like Saina Nehwal, Srikanth Kidambi and P V Sindhu are using Yonex products. Yonex introduces new products almost every month which continuously accelerate the company’s growth. The products are sold quickly as the demand is high.

“Almost 600 sports retail shops are there in Kerala, which is a proof of increased growth in sports goods retail industry in our State. It is emerging as a strong economic sector which is expected to achieve tremendous progress in the coming years,” Sarath remarked.